Thermal and chemical utilization of carbonaceous materials, in particular for emission-free generation of energy

ABSTRACT

A process for the generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products utilizing carbonaceous materials. In a first process stage (P 1 ) the carbonaceous materials are supplied and are pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke (M 21 ) and pyrolysis gas (M 22 ) are formed. In a second process stage (P 2 ), the pyrolysis coke (M 21 ) from the first process stage (P 1 ) is gasified, wherein synthesis gas (M 24 ) is formed, and slag and other residues (M 91 , M 92 , M 93 , M 94 ) are removed. In a third process stage (P 3 ), the synthesis gas (M 24 ) from the second process stage (P 2 ) is converted into hydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products (M 60 ), which are discharged. The three process stages (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ) form a closed cycle. Surplus gas (M 25 ) from the third process stage (P 3 ) is passed as recycle gas into the first process stage (P 1 ), and/or the second process stage (P 2 ), and pyrolysis gas (M 22 ) from the first process stage (P 1 ) is passed into the second process stage (P 2 ), and/or the third process stage (P 3 ),

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to processes and facilities for emission-freegeneration of energy by thermal-chemical processing and utilization ofsolid, liquid and gaseous carbonaceous materials and mixtures, inparticular of waste, biomass, coal and other heterogeneous materials.Further the invention relates to facilities for the generation ofelectrical and mechanical energy, and corresponding processes, as wellas the manufacture of synthetic hydrocarbons and their use in suchfacilities.

PRIOR ART

It has been known for some time that emissions, particularly carbondioxide emissions, have very adverse effects on the climatic equilibriumof earth, and contribute greatly to manmade climatic heating. Avoidingcarbon dioxide emissions is therefore highly desirable, in particular inthe generation of energy from carbonaceous materials, such as waste,biomass, and fossil fuels.

When carbonaceous materials are used as fuels in conventional powerplant installations, carbon dioxide is an unavoidable by-product ofenergy generation. Separating out carbon dioxide from resultantcombustion exhaust gases is generally not possible with a reasonableenergetic and/or economic expenditure.

For the industrial scale, systems are being tested in which the carbondioxide is trapped, for example, in amine-based solvents, and is storedin compressed form. However, such systems are expensive and complicated.

Energy sources without carbon dioxide emissions such as, for example,solar power, wind power, water power, and nuclear energy have otherproblems. Recent installations for using alternative energy sources suchas wind power, solar energy and biomass have insufficient capacities forcovering the steadily increasing energy demands. In addition,weather-dependent energy sources frequently cannot ensureunconditionally the necessary output capacities. Installations forlow-emission, efficient, flexible and easily upscalable energygeneration, in particular of electrical energy, are therefore a subjectof intensive research activity.

From the prior art, various types of processes and installations areknown with which gas mixtures can be produced from solid, liquid andgaseous carbonaceous materials, which are then used as so calledsynthesis gas for chemical syntheses. Synthesis gases containing carbonmonoxide and hydrogen are used, for example, for industrial liquid-phasemethanol synthesis or for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for producinghydrocarbons and other organic materials. Alternatively, such synthesisgases are also used for generating energy, for example as a fuel foroperating heat engines.

For producing carbon monoxide-hydrogen synthesis gases from solidcarbon, the solid carbon is gasified using oxygen, carbon dioxide orwater to form synthesis gas:

C(s)+CO₂⇄2CO(ΔH+131.3 kJ/mol)  (I)

C(s)+H₂O⇄CO+H₂(ΔH+172.5 kJ/mol)  (II)

2C(s)+O₂⇄2CO(ΔH−110.5 kJ/mol)  (III)

The ratio between carbon monoxide and hydrogen is given by what istermed the water gas shift reaction IV:

CO+H₂O⇄CO₂+H₂(ΔH−41.2 kJ/mol)  (IV)

The thermal energy required for the course of the endothermic reactionsI and II can originate, for example, from a partial combustion of thesolid carbon in reaction III, or can be supplied externally.

In a known process type for producing synthesis gas or correspondinggaseous fuel, the solid carbon for the gasification reactions is presentin the form of coke. This is in turn generated in a preceding processstage by pyrolysis of coal or other carbonaceous materials. Thepyrolysis gases formed during the pyrolysis are burned, wherein the hotcarbon-dioxide-containing combustion gases serve firstly as gasificationagent for the coke and also as an external heat energy supplier.

In another process type the coke is gasified with the addition ofair/oxygen, wherein the thermal energy is primarily generated by partialcombustion of the carbon of the coke. Pyrolysis gas from a precedingpyrolysis stage is then mixed into the hot synthesis gas where it iscracked, and so a tar-free combustible gas mixture is formed.

The known processes for producing synthesis gas are directed andoptimized towards producing synthesis gas for the chemical industry frominexpensive fossil coal, for example for producing liquid propellant andother high-value end products. In these processes some of the startingmaterial is burned for energy generation, and so in the production ofhigh-value end products large amounts of no longer utilizable carbondioxide are produced. Owing to manmade climatic warming, suchinefficient processes are now becoming less and less acceptable.

Other processes are primarily directed towards producing more easilymanageable gaseous fuel, from solid carbonaceous materials such as, forexample, fossil coal, biomass, or heterogeneous mixtures such as, forexample, combustible waste. With this fuel, for example, gas turbinescan be run. Such processes are disclosed, for example, in DE102007041624 A1 and DE 2325204 A1. However, also in these processes someof the chemical energy stored in the solid starting material is consumedin the conversion, either in the production of coke or the production ofgas, and carbon dioxide is correspondingly discharged.

A disadvantage of the known processes is the generation of emissions,the low efficiency, and the complicated structure and operation,particularly in installations in which coke is gasified in a fluidizedstream or entrained flow.

Likewise, various processes are known with which liquid propellants canbe produced from biomass. In the article by G. W. Huber et al.,“Synthesis of Transportation Fuels from Biomass: Chemistry, Catalysts,and Engineering”, Chem. Rev. 106 (2006), p. 4044, a review of thevarious approaches is given. In a certain basic type of these processes,biomass is gasified and from the resultant gas mixture then gaseousand/or liquid hydrocarbons and/or other carbonaceous compounds aresynthesized that serve as propellant or fuel.

Such a process for producing synthetic propellant from biomass isdescribed in “Process for Producing the Synthetic Biofuel SunDiesel”[English translation of German title “Verfahren zur Herstellung dessynthetischen Biokraftstoffs SunDiesel”], B. Hoffmann,Aufbereitungstechnik, 49(1-2) (2008), p. 6. In this process, which iscalled “Carbo-V”, lumpy biomass (comminuted plant material) is pyrolysedwith air in a first step at low pressure (4 bar) at 400-500° C., whereinthis step is considered as a thermal pretreatment step. This producespyrolysis gas and pyrolysis coke. A corresponding installation isdisclosed for example in DE 19807988 A1. The pyrolysis gas is thenpost-oxidized with preheated air or oxygen at high temperature(1400-1500° C.) in order to break down long-chain hydrocarbons.Separately therefrom, the pyrolysis coke is ground and blown in dustform into the gas stream of the second process stage where the coke dustis endothermically gasified to synthesis gas in entrained flow. Acorresponding process is disclosed in EP 1749872 A2. After a treatment,propellant analogous to diesel is produced from the resultant synthesisgas, in a multistage Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Resultant exhaust gasesincluding the carbon dioxide produced in the pyrolysis and gasificationstage are released into the atmosphere.

In order to increase the efficiency of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, theresidual gases and gaseous products of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesiswhich contain unreacted hydrogen and carbon monoxide and also C1-C4hydrocarbon compounds, can again be passed through the Fischer-Tropschstage by recirculating them to the gasification stage. (cf. H.Boerrigter, R. Zwart, “High efficiency co-production of Fischer-Tropsch(FT) transportation fuels and substitute natural gas (SNG) frombiomass”, Energy research centre of the Netherlands ECN Report,ECN-C-04-001, February 2004). Thus, for example US 2005/0250862 A1 showsa process for producing liquid propellants from biomass in whichlow-molecular-weight gases and unwanted higher-molecular-weightfractions are passed back to the gasification stage, downstream of theFischer-Tropsch synthesis.

However, in all these processes, exhaust gases consisting principally ofcarbon dioxide and also if applicable inert gases such as atmosphericnitrogen are released to the atmosphere.

DE 2807326 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,825 describe power plantinstallations in which synthesis gas is produced from coal, whichsynthesis gas is then used as fuel gas for steam generation. Via a steamturbine, electrical energy is produced from the steam. Some of thesynthesis gas is branched off and used for producing methanol or liquidhydrocarbons. These liquid fuels are stored temporarily and used asrequired for generating electrical energy. The resultant combustionexhaust gases are released into the atmosphere.

The disclosure of the prior art documents cited in this applicationforms an integral component of the following description of theinvention.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide processes and facilitiesfor the emission-free generation of energy by thermal-chemicalprocessing and utilization of solid, liquid and gaseous carbonaceousmaterials and mixtures, in particular of waste, biomass, coal and otherheterogeneous materials, which processes and installations do not havethe above-mentioned and other disadvantages. Particularly processes andfacilities according to the invention should be as emission-free aspossible.

Another object of the invention is to provide processes and facilitiesby means of which waste, biomass or coal can be converted with as littleenergy supply as possible, and emission-free, into other energy-richproducts, for example synthetic hydrocarbon containing products.

One more object of the invention is to provide processes and facilitiesby means of which materials that are difficult to utilize, such as forexample oil shale, oil sand or oil sludge, can be converted in anemission-free manner into energy-richer and more useful products, or canbe used for emission-free energy generation, respectively.

A further object of the invention is to provide processes and facilitieswith which solid, liquid or gaseous materials can be efficientlyconverted into gaseous or liquid energy sources.

Another object of the invention is to provide processes andinstallations by means of which solid, liquid and gaseous fuels andpropellants can be generated emission-free.

Yet another object of the invention is to optimize the energy efficiencyof said processes and facilities, by avoiding chemical and/or energeticlosses due to emissions, and by converting the collected non-emittedmaterials into additional high-grade energy sources, such as for examplefuels and propellants.

A facility for energy generation according to the invention should, inparticular, allow the provision of electrical energy and/or mechanicalenergy and/or thermal energy, efficiently and according to demand in abroad output band.

Advantageously, such a facility according to the invention foremission-free energy generation should be able to store part of thegenerated energy, and in the event of increased output demand should beable to release again this stored energy as chemical energy and/orelectrical energy and/or mechanical energy and/or thermal energy.

A facility for emission-free energy generation should advantageously beable to utilize a broad range of solid, liquid and/or gaseouscarbonaceous materials and mixtures for energy generation, in particularwaste, biomass, coal and other heterogeneous materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a facility foremission-free energy generation that is independent of externalconditions such as pressure, temperature, moisture or other externalparameters. For example, at relatively elevated locations, the lowerambient pressure has adverse effects on the output power of conventionalpower installations.

These and other objects are achieved by processes and facilitiesaccording to the invention as described in the independent claims.Further advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a process according to the invention for the emission-free generationof energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products by utilization ofcarbonaceous materials, in a first process stage the carbonaceousmaterials are supplied and pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke andpyrolysis gas are formed. In a second process stage, the pyrolysis cokefrom the first process stage is gasified, wherein synthesis gas isformed, and slag and other residues are removed. In a third processstage, the synthesis gas from the second process stage is converted intohydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid and/or gaseous products, whichare discharged. The three process stages form a closed cycle. Surplusgas from the third process stage is passed as recycle gas into the firstprocess stage and/or the second process stage, and the pyrolysis gas ofthe first process stage is passed into the second process stage and/orthe third process stage.

In an advantageous variant of this process, hydrogen is supplied,preferably in the third process stage, and/or carbon dioxide issupplied, preferably in the first process stage or the second processstage.

The process can be carried out under pressure in all three processstages. The pyrolysis gas from the first process stage can be passedinto the second process stage and/or into the third process stage. Thesynthesis gas from the second process stage can in turn be passed intothe third process stage and/or the first process stage.

Advantageously, the gas stream within the cycle proceeds in a defineddirection. The gas stream can for example flow within the cycle from thefirst process stage via the second process stage to the third processstage, and back to the first process stage, or from the first processstage via the third process stage to the second process stage, and backagain to the first process stage.

Particularly advantageously, there is a pressure drop along the cycle.This allows the gas stream to be conveyed along the cycle without anadditional transport system, with the exception of a compressor forgenerating the pressure drop.

The first process stage of the utilization process can be carried out inone or more pressure reactors.

The heat energy for the pyrolysis reactions in the first process stagecan be provided in part or completely by returning a part of the hotsynthesis gas from the second process stage into the first processstage, and/or by partial oxidation of the carbonaceous starting materialand the resultant pyrolysis coke.

Advantageously, the first process stage is carried out at a temperaturebetween 300 and 800° C., preferably between 450 and 700° C., andparticularly preferably between 500 and 600° C.

The second stage of the utilization process can likewise be carried outin one or more second pressure reactors. For the gasification reactionin the second process stage, oxygen and/or steam and/or carbon dioxidecan be used as gasification agent.

The pyrolysis coke can be gasified completely or only in part. In thelatter case, the unprocessed coke can be discharged together with theresultant slag.

The thermal energy required for the gasification reaction in the secondprocess stage can be supplied in part or completely from outside, forexample by heating devices and/or heat exchangers, and/or can begenerated by oxidizing a part of the pyrolysis coke with an oxidizingagent, in particular oxygen.

Advantageously, the second process stage of the utilization processaccording to the invention is carried out at a temperature between 600and 1600° C., preferably between 700 and 1400° C., and particularlypreferably between 850 and 1000° C.

In a preferred variant the temperature in the second process stage is850° C. or above, wherein the pyrolysis coke and the pyrolysis gasesremain in the second process stage for at least 2 seconds. In thismanner, the provisions are met that apply in many countries for treatingcontaminated materials and wastes.

Advantageously, the first process stage and/or the second process stageof the utilization process according to the invention is carried out ata pressure between 1 and 60 bar, preferably between 5 and 25 bar, andparticularly preferably between 10 and 15 bar.

In another advantageous variant of the utilization process according tothe invention, the first process stage and the second process stage arecarried out in the same pressure reactor.

The third process stage of the utilization process is advantageouslycarried out in one or more pressure reactors. The conversion in thethird process stage preferably proceeds using a Fischer-Tropschsynthesis or a liquid-phase methanol synthesis.

In a particularly advantageous variant of the process according to theinvention, electrical and/or mechanical energy is generated by oxidationof the hydrocarbons and other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products ofthe third process stage, to an oxidation gas essentially consisting ofcarbon dioxide and water. Advantageously pure oxygen is used asoxidizing agent. From the oxidation gases, water can be condensed outand/or separated.

In an advantageous variant of such a process according to the invention,at least a part of the oxidation gases of the drive device is re-fedback into the first process stage and/or the second process stage and/orthe third process stage of the process.

In a particularly advantageous variant of a process according to theinvention, synthesis gas is cooled in a heat exchanger, whereinsuperheated steam and/or another hot gas are formed, from whichelectrical and/or mechanical energy is generated using a heat engine,preferably a steam turbine.

A facility according to the invention for the emission-free generationof energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products by utilization ofcarbonaceous materials comprises a utilization installation containing autilization unit with a first subunit for carrying out a pyrolysis ofthe carbonaceous materials to form pyrolysis coke and pyrolysis gas; asecond subunit for carrying out a gasification of the pyrolysis coke toform synthesis gas and residues; and a third subunit for carrying out aconversion of the synthesis gas into hydrocarbons and/or other solid,liquid and/or gaseous products. All three subunits of the utilizationunit are pressure-tightly closed and form an essentially closed cycle. Atransport pipe for the pyrolysis gas connects the first subunitpressure-tightly to the second subunit and/or to the third subunit. Atransport pipe for the synthesis gas connects the second subunitpressure-tightly to the third subunit and/or to the first subunit. Atransport pipe for the recycle gas connects the third subunitpressure-tightly to the first subunit and/or to the second subunit.

Advantageously, at least one compressor is arranged along at least oneof said transport pipes.

Means can be provided that cause a gas stream to flow along thetransport pipes in only one defined direction, preferably from the firstsubunit via the second subunit to the third subunit, and back to thefirst subunit, or from the first subunit via the third subunit to thesecond subunit, and back to the first subunit.

The subunits can each have one or more pressure reactors. In anadvantageous variant, the first and/or the second subunit compriseheating devices and/or heat exchangers.

A branching of the transport pipe of the synthesis gas can be provided,by means of which some of the synthesis gas, from the second subunit canbe returned to the first pressure reactor.

In another advantageous variant of a facility according to theinvention, the first subunit and the second subunit of the utilizationunit comprise a shared pressure reactor.

The third subunit of the utilization unit preferably comprises aFischer-Tropsch synthesis installation, or a liquid-phase methanolsynthesis installation, or another suitable installation for producingliquid products.

Particularly advantageous is a utilization installation that can be runin such a manner that there is a pressure drop from the first processstage over the second process stage to the third process stage. In thisway, the mass transport along the cyclic gas stream is driven by thepressure difference between the various pressure reactors. This is asubstantial advantage, since this leads to the installation requiring asfew moving components as possible.

A particular advantage of the invention is that the facility isindependent of external conditions such as pressure, temperature,moisture, or all other external parameters. Since in facilitiesaccording to the invention the matter stream proceeds in a closedmanner, the process is substantially independent of the ambientpressure.

A further substantial advantage of a facility according to the inventionis that the closed system does not require a gas treatment. It is afurther advantage that the formation and separation of liquid productsfrom the synthesis gases in the third process stage inevitably leads toparticles being separated out.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of a facility according to theinvention comprises an energy installation that is arranged forgenerating electrical and/or mechanical energy and/or thermal energy,using the hydrocarbons and/or other products from the utilizationinstallation as fuels. Advantageously, a drive device for generatingelectrical and/or mechanical energy from the fuels is provided in theenergy installation, wherein said drive device obtains the energynecessary for operation from the oxidation of the fuels to an oxidationgas essentially consisting of carbon dioxide and water, and comprises adevice for the compression and/or condensation of the oxidation gas.

The drive device can be designed as a fuel cell or as a heat engine. Ina particularly advantageous variant, the drive device can be operatedwith pure oxygen as oxidizing agent.

In a further embodiment of a facility according to the invention, a heatexchanger is provided for cooling down the oxidation gas stream,upstream and/or downstream of the device for the compression and/orcondensation of the oxidation gas.

In yet a further embodiment of a facility according to the invention, adevice for condensation and/or separation of water from the oxidationgas is provided. This reduces, inter alia, the amount of the remainingresidual gas.

Another variant of such a facility according to the invention comprisesa storage for collecting the oxidation gas, or the residual gas aftercompression and/or condensation of the oxidation gas, respectively.

For recirculating the oxidation gases or residual gases into one of thethree process stages of the utilization installation of a facilityaccording to the invention, a transport pipe can be provided.

In another advantageous embodiment of one of the above-mentionedfacilities according to the invention, the drive device of the energyinstallation is designed as a combustion engine, with at least onecombustion chamber for combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel with oxygen,with means for converting the resulting gas pressure or gas volume intomechanical work, with a feed device for introducing oxygen into thecombustion chamber, and with a venting device for removing the oxidationgases from the combustion chamber.

In a particularly advantageous variant of such a facility for energygeneration according to the invention, the drive device of the energyinstallation is provided with a feed device for introducing water and/orwater vapor into the combustion chamber, and/or into the oxidation gasstream after exit from the combustion chamber. The drive device cancomprise, for example, a turbine device that is operated with theoxidation gas stream.

In a further advantageous variant of a facility according to theinvention, the utilization installation comprises an energy unit forgenerating electrical and/or mechanical energy, with at least one drivedevice for generating electrical and/or mechanical energy from steamand/or other hot gases that have been generated or superheated in theutilization unit of the utilization installation.

In a particularly advantageous variant, the energy unit of theutilization installation comprises a drive device for generatingelectrical and/or mechanical energy from steam or other hot gases thathave been generated or superheated in the utilization unit. In the cycleof the utilization unit at least one heat exchanger is provided forheating steam and/or other gases, and/or for generating steam.

A further particularly advantageous facility comprises an installationfor the production of hydrogen, and means for supplying the hydrogeninto the utilization unit.

Hydrocarbons and other solid, liquid and/or gaseous products that havebeen produced using a process according to the invention, or using afacility according to the invention, respectively, can be differentiatedfrom analogous petroleum products for example by the absence of typicalsulphur and phosphorus impurities. In the case of a production withfractions of the starting material being biomass, such products have anelevated C14-isotope fraction, compared with petrochemical products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter the facility according to the invention will be describedwith reference to drawings. These show only exemplary embodiments of thesubject matter of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a facility according to the invention foremission-free generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and otherproducts by utilization of carbonaceous materials.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a facility according to theinvention with an energy installation that is spatially separated fromthe utilization installation.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a general exemplary embodiment of autilization installation of a facility according to the invention with abase load energy unit.

FIG. 3A schematically shows a possible variant for a base load energyunit as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a general exemplary embodiment of a facilityaccording to the invention, with a utilization installation, and anenergy installation for the generation of peak load energy from the fuelcompounds produced in the utilization installation.

FIG. 4A schematically shows a possible variant for a peak load energyinstallation as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 schematically shows a possible embodiment of a facility accordingto the invention with a utilization installation having a base loadenergy unit, and a peak load energy installation.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a facility according to the invention havingsupply of chemical energy in the form of hydrogen.

FIG. 7 schematically shows the power profile (a) of a conventionalthermal power plant installation, (b), (c) a facility according to theinvention, and (d) peak load and base load profiles of a facilityaccording to the invention.

FIGS. 8 to 12 schematically show various possible exemplary embodimentsof utilization installations for a facility according to the invention.

FIGS. 13 and 14 schematically show two embodiments of a drive device ofa peak load energy installation, which drive device is realized as acombustion engine.

FIG. 15 schematically shows a drive device of a peak load energyinstallation, which drive device is realized as a combined gas/steamturbine.

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The examples discussed hereinafter are provided for an improvedillustration of the present invention, but are not suited forrestricting the invention to the features disclosed herein.

Installation and Process for Generating Electrical and Mechanical Energy

FIG. 1 schematically shows a possible embodiment of a facility Zaccording to the invention for the emission-free generation of energyand/or hydrocarbons and other products by utilization of carbonaceousmaterials, having a utilization installation A for the thermal-chemicalutilization of carbonaceous materials M10 to give hydrocarbons and otherproducts M60 and/or liquid and/or gaseous fuels M61 (chemical energy),as well as the generation of electrical and/or mechanical energy E1.

The utilization installation A comprises a feeding unit AH, in which theuntreated carbonaceous starting material M10 that should be utilized isprocessed to carbonaceous starting material M11. Depending on the kindof starting material M10, residues M17 can incur, which may be furtherused, e.g. metals.

In addition to the treated carbonaceous starting material M11, otherchemical energy sources can be utilized, e.g. methane or otherby-products from the chemical industry or the petroleum industry thatcannot be reasonably utilized otherwise.

The centerpiece of the utilization installation A is the utilizationunit AB, in which in a first subunit AC of a first process stage P1 thetreated carbonaceous materials M11 are supplied to and get pyrolysed,wherein pyrolysis coke M21 and pyrolysis gas M22 are formed. In a secondsubunit AD of a second process stage P2, the pyrolysis coke M21 from thefirst process stage is gasified, wherein synthesis gas M24 is formed,and slag and other residues M90 remain. In a third subunit AE of a thirdprocess stage P3, the synthesis gas M24 from the second process stage isconverted into hydrocarbon-based solid, liquid, and/or gaseous productsM60, M61. All three process stages are pressure-tightly closed, and forma substantially closed cycle.

Thermal energy occurring in the utilization process according to theinvention can be gathered from the first utilization unit AB in the formof steam M52, and can be used in an energy unit AF for generatingelectrical and/or mechanical energy E1, by means of a suitable drivedevice, for example a steam turbine (not shown). Also possible andadvantageous is the heating of compressible media, such as for examplenitrogen, for operating the drive device. During constant operation ofthe utilization unit AB, in this manner a certain base output power canbe generated. The energy unit AF is an optional component of a facilityaccording to the invention.

A discharging unit AG is used for discharging and treating theaccumulating ash and other solid residues M90.

The facility according to the invention can further comprise an energyinstallation C for the emission-free generation of electrical and/ormechanical energy E2, or thermal energy E4, by utilizing thecarbonaceous products M61 from the utilization installation A as fuels.Resulting oxidation gases M27 are lead back to the utilizationinstallation A, and so no emissions occur.

The energy installation C can be designed as a heating installation forthe generation of thermal energy E4 for heating buildings. Alternativelythe energy installation can be designed as an electrical power plantinstallation for the generation of electrical energy E2.

Between the utilization installation A and the energy installation C,advantageously an installation B for the transport and temporary storageof the fuels and oxidation gases is inserted. Such an installation B canalso comprise means for treating the fuels M61 to be used in the energyinstallation C.

The hydrocarbon-containing fuels M61 generated in the synthesis processstage P3 are temporarily stored in tanks or pressure storages of theinstallation B (not shown). From these storages, the fuels M61 aregathered as required, and are converted in the energy installation Cinto electrical and/or mechanical energy E2, using a suitable drivedevice. This can take place for example by means of a heat engine or afuel cell device. Carbon dioxide-containing residual gas M26 from theenergy installation C is recirculated back to the utilization unit AB.If appropriate, a temporary storage can be provided.

The energy installation C offers the advantage that the energy outputproduced by the facility Z according to the invention can be adapted ina very short time to the currently required demand. The chemical fuelsM61 act in this case as a temporary energy storage. During a powerconsumption peak, for example a suitably designed drive device, forexample a gas turbine and/or steam turbine operated with the fuels M61,can then be very rapidly put in operation, and generate electricaland/or mechanical energy. The peak output of the facility Z can exceedthe thermal base output of the facility Z for a short time, owing to theenergy storage capacity of the chemical fuels M61.

It is possible to use in an energy installation C further additionalfuels M14, in addition to the fuels delivered by the utilizationinstallation A.

The energy installation C can be installed together with the utilizationinstallation A at the same site. Alternatively, it is also possible, asshown in FIG. 2, that in a facility Z according to the invention theenergy installation C is arranged spatially separated from theutilization installation A. The fuels M61 and the oxidation gases M27can be transported for example by rail, ship, or pipeline, wherein insuch a case the transport device (tank wagon, storage tank on ship,pipeline) at the same time acts also as temporary storage BA, BB. Theoverall system of material transport between installations A and C is inthis case to be seen as a part of the installation B for transport andtemporary storage of fuels and oxidation gases.

Since the transport of chemical energy in the form of fuels M61 overgreat distances is substantially more efficient than the transmission ofelectrical energy, the site of the peak load energy installation C of afacility Z according to the invention can be selected to be where thecorresponding demand occurs, whereas the utilization installation A isadvantageously constructed where the carbonaceous starting materials M10occur.

A facility according to the invention can further comprise aninstallation D for generation and supply of external chemical energy.For example, hydrogen M32 can be produced and supplied as source ofexternal chemical energy. Such a possible embodiment of a facility Zaccording to the invention will be treated in more detail in thediscussion of FIG. 6.

A possible embodiment of a utilization installation A of a facility Zaccording to the invention is schematically shown in FIG. 3. The showninstallation A comprises a utilization unit AB for utilizing thecarbonaceous starting material M11, and an energy unit AF for generatingan essentially constant base amount E1 of electrical and/or mechanicalenergy.

The structure of the utilization unit AB corresponds essentially to theexemplary utilization unit that will be discussed later with referenceto FIG. 9. The base load energy unit AF is only depicted as a block. Apossible embodiment will be discussed in FIG. 3A.

In the heat exchanger/superheater A44, in which at the same time the hotsynthesis gas M24 from the second process stage P2 is cooled down to thetemperature for the third synthesis process stage P3, superheated steamM52 is generated (approximately 550-600° C./50 bar) from colder steamM51. If required, a subsequent further heat exchanger can further cooldown the synthesis gas stream. The superheated steam M52 is lead intothe energy unit AF, where it is utilized for generation of electricaland/or mechanical energy E1. The remaining steam condensate M41 isconducted back to the utilization unit AB, where it is converted in thethird process stage P3 into steam M51, and this steam M51 issubsequently converted again in the heat exchanger/superheater A44 intosuperheated steam M52.

The exemplary embodiment of the energy unit AF in FIG. 3A comprises adrive device A61 in the form of a steam turbine A62, or another heatengine for the generation of mechanical energy that can be operated withsuperheated steam M52, and in the given example a generator device A64,which generates electrical energy E1. After expansion in the steamturbine A62, the exhaust steam M53 is condensed in thecondenser/economizer A63, wherein the waste heat is discharged via asuitably designed cooling cycle A65.

The resultant condensate M41 is preferably at a temperature of 60-70°C., and so the water in the subsequent boiler stage A32 of theutilization installation AB does not need to be heated too much. At thesame time, the water should not be too hot, in order to preventcavitation in the pump A66. The condensate M41 is transported by thepump A66 from a temporary storage (not shown) into the heatexchanger/boiler A32 of process stage P3, where it is in turn vaporizedto steam M51 (approximately 250-300° C./20 bar), with simultaneouscooling of the synthesis stage P3. The steam M51 is stored in a vapordome (which is not shown), in order firstly to separate off remainingwater before entry into the superheater A44, and secondly to form astorage from which process steam M50 can obtained for the variouspurposes in the utilization unit AB. Losses in the cycle and consumptionof process steam M50 are compensated for by new supply of water into thecondensate storage (not shown).

In an alternative variant, in the steam turbine A62, downstream of thehigh-pressure stage, some of the steam can be extracted as process steamM50, which is shown in FIG. 3A as a dashed arrow. In this manner, alarger amount of steam M52 can be utilized for energy generation, andonly thereafter the necessary process steam is provided.

The exhaust steam from process steam consumers such as for example theheat exchangers A45, A17 can likewise be condensed M41 and recirculatedto the feed water M40, resulting in an energy cycle which that is closedas far as possible.

Instead of operating the energy unit AF with hot steam, it is alsopossible to heat in a compressible medium in the heat exchangers A32,A44 of the utilization unit, such as for example nitrogen, forsubsequently using this hot gas for operating the heat engine of theenergy unit AF. The use of inert gas instead of more aggressive hotsteam has among other things the advantage that corrosion damages of theinstallation components are reduced.

Correspondingly, in a utilization installation A the steam cycles mayalso be conducted differently through the various heat exchangers, inorder to achieve an efficiency of the installation A as high aspossible.

In a facility according to the invention only having a base load energyunit AF, as is disclosed for example in FIG. 3, the products formed inthe synthesis stage P3 can be used as fuel M61 for a conventional energyinstallation C that can be operated using fossil fuels, for examplediesel generators or gas turbine generators, which can be used forcovering peak loads. The chemical fuels M61 in such a case serve forachieving for a short time very high production outputs, independentfrom the base system AB, AF that is run in an equilibrium state. Thus,within a very short time period, the total output power of a facility Zaccording to the invention of for example 100% constant base loadproduction P_(c2) can be increased to for example 600% peak loadproduction P_(e2).

Alternatively, the products M60 can also be used in other ways, forexample for producing fuels, or as reactants for the chemical industry.

Such a facility according to the invention has, compared withconventional installations, inter alia the advantage that owing to theclosed material stream within the three-stage process, flue gas filtersand catalyst devices for purifying the combustion exhaust gases can bedispensed with in the utilization unit AB. This leads to a reduction ofthe number of components of such an installation, and thereby to lowerinvestment costs and operating costs.

In addition, such a utilization unit also has a lower space requirement,since no filter systems, stacks, etc. are required, and the volumes ofthe material streams are lower owing to the high pressure.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a facility Z according tothe invention, as is disclosed schematically in FIG. 4, an energyinstallation C for covering peak loads E2 is provided that can beoperated with fuels M61 from the utilization installation A. The energyinstallation C is designed in such a manner that the carbon dioxideaccumulating during energy generation is conducted back into the cycleof the utilization installation A, and so no emissions are formed.

The fuels M61 are advantageously obtained from a temporary storage BA ofthe transport/storage installation B, for example a tank system orpressure storage, in order to bridge demand peaks. The occurring carbondioxide containing residual gases M26 from the energy installation B canalso be collected and stored in a temporary storage BB.

A possible embodiment of an energy installation C is shown in FIG. 4A. Adrive device C11 generates electrical and/or mechanical energy E2 bymeans of chemical energy sources M61 from the synthesis stage P3 of theutilization unit AB. The said drive device C11 can be for example a heatengine, in which the heat occurring during an oxidation of the fuels M61to carbon dioxide is converted into mechanical work, for example foroperating a generator installation (not shown), or a fuel cellinstallation, in which the oxidation reaction is used directly forelectrical power generation E2.

Such a drive device C11 comprises a closed cycle, that is to say itcauses no emissions into atmosphere. The oxidation gases M27 occurringduring performance of the mechanical work, which contain essentiallyonly carbon dioxide and if applicable also water, are post-treated C12,compressed C13, and the remaining residual gas M26 is fed back into thecycle of the utilization installation AB.

If the utilization installation A and the peak load energy installationC are situated at the same site, the residual gas M26 can be fed backdirectly. In an advantageous variant, a temporary storage BB isprovided, as shown in FIG. 4. As already described above, the energyinstallation C of the facility Z according to the invention can bearranged separately from the utilization installation A.

The oxidation reaction generating thermal or electrical energy takesplace in the drive device C11 using pure oxygen M31 instead of air. Theuse of oxygen M31 instead of air avoids, firstly, owing to the absenceof atmospheric nitrogen in a thermochemical reaction at hightemperatures, the formation of nitrogen oxides; especially, however,essentially only carbon dioxide and water vapor remain in the occurringoxidation gases M27. Depending on the stoichiometry of the reaction, thegases occurring can also contain certain fractions of carbon monoxideand unreacted fuel. These can likewise be fed in without problems intothe cycle of the utilization installation A.

The reaction products M27 of the energy-generating oxidation reactionare essentially gaseous. The corresponding oxidation gas mixture is thencompressed C13 in order to reduce the volume. Using a heat exchangerC12, the oxidation gas mixture M27 can be cooled upstream and/ordownstream of the compression. Water M41 is condensed out and separatedoff, whereby only carbon dioxide remains in the residual gas M26, ifapplicable having fractions of carbon monoxide and unreacted fuel. Theresidual gas M26 is then fed to the first process stage P1 of theutilization unit AB of the installation A, and so a closed materialcycle results. Alternatively, the residual gas M26 can also be fed intothe second process stage P2, or the third process stage P3, which isindicated in FIG. 4 by dashed arrows.

Thus it is possible that in a facility Z according to the invention,liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives are generatedfrom carbonaceous materials M11, and the resultant high-grade fuelmixture M61 is subsequently converted into electrical energy E2. Thecarbon dioxide produced is fed back and is in part or completelyconverted back to fuel M61 in the utilization installation A. In thismanner, the effective carbon dioxide discharge of the peak loadgenerator installation C can be very greatly reduced or even entirelyavoided.

The drive device can also be operated without problems in combinedoperation with hydrogen M32 as a further fuel. In such a case, thehydrogen fraction leads to a reduction of the residual gas amount M26occurring downstream of the heat exchanger/condenser and compressor,since only water arises in the oxidation of hydrogen with oxygen.

Further possible embodiments of suitable drive devices for an energyinstallation will be discussed later in FIGS. 13 to 15.

Another advantageous embodiment of a facility Z according to theinvention is shown in FIG. 5. This comprises, in addition to theutilization unit AB, both a base load energy unit AF, and a peak loadenergy installation C.

In a further advantageous variant of a utilization process according tothe invention, chemical energy is introduced into the process in theform of molecular hydrogen in relatively large amounts. Such anembodiment of a facility Z according to the invention is shown, forexample, schematically in FIG. 6( a). The utilization installation Areceives material in the form of carbonaceous starting materials M10 ashas already been described above. Carbon dioxide M33 is likewisesuitable as carbon source. The primary energy source used in the shownembodiment is mainly the chemical energy of the molecular hydrogen M32.On one hand the hydrogen serves for the reduction of the startingmaterial, and secondly the oxidation with oxygen leads to the supply ofthermal energy.

Molecular hydrogen M32 may be produced from water by electrolysis,wherein also molecular oxygen M31 accumulates. Electrical energy E1 canbe converted in this manner into chemical energy. The gaseous molecularhydrogen, however, has a considerably lower energy density compared withliquid fuels, but also compared with gaseous hydrocarbons, as a resultof which it has not yet been able to establish itself for use aspropellant for vehicles.

In a utilization process according to the invention, the chemical energyof hydrogen can be converted efficiently into chemical energy in theform of high-value hydrocarbons and other products. Advantageously, theoxygen M31 occurring during the electrolysis is also used in order tointroduce all of the occurring chemical energy into the process, or amaximum of the electrical energy put into the electrolysis,respectively.

In the shown example an installation D provides molecular hydrogen M32and oxygen M31. The electrical energy E3 for the electrolysis reactionoriginates preferably from regenerative energy sources (wind power,solar energy, water power etc.). This has the great advantage that aninherent disadvantage of wind power installations DA and solar energyinstallations DB can be overcome, namely the cyclic, and due to thedependence on external factors not always guaranteed, energy generation.This leads to correspondingly low achievable market prices for thegenerated electrical energy. By conversion into chemical energy(molecular hydrogen M32 and oxygen M31) in contrast, the generatedenergy output can be temporarily stored. The hydrogen, and, if possible,also the oxygen, is then utilized in a process according to theinvention, in order to produce for example more readily manageableliquid fuels that have a higher energy density, or other high-valueproducts.

The energy of the energy generation units DA, DB of the installation Dis transported in the form of electrical current to the electrolysisunit DC, which is located at the place of the utilization installationA, and in which then hydrogen M32 and oxygen M31 are generated locally.Part of the oxygen is not needed and can be utilized in other ways, forexample in a energy installation C of the facility Z according to theinvention. Temporary storages DE, DF, for example in the form ofpressure tanks, serve as buffers for compensating for the fluctuatingenergy generation of the energy generation units DA, DB.

As already explained above, the utilization installation A produceshigh-value hydrocarbons and other synthesis products M60, and, as thecase may be, energy E1. Residues M90 are continuously removed from thesystem. Likewise, water can easily be removed from the system, forexample by condensation M41. In the shown exemplary embodiment, watermainly serves as oxidizing agent and gasification agent, if no oxygen isavailable. Water M41 removed from the system, however, also serves as asink for oxygen. This is mainly relevant when the system takes up largeamounts of carbon dioxide M33 as carbon source.

In a combination as shown in FIG. 6( a), a utilization process accordingto the invention can also produce high-value and energy-rich hydrocarbonproducts M60 from comparatively low-energy carbon sources. In an extremecase, the process can in principle even be carried out exclusively usingpure carbon dioxide as carbon source. Since the supplied electricalenergy originates directly or indirectly (wind power, water power) fromthe sun, then results—seen from a principal standpoint—artificialphotosynthesis, namely generating carbon compounds from carbon dioxide,water and sunlight.

The combination of the utilization installation A with an energyinstallation C is facultative.

In case the location of the regenerative energy is too far away, it canbe more efficient to transport locally produced hydrogen M32 to theutilization installation, instead of the electrical current. Such avariant is for example shown in FIG. 6( b). Energy E3 is generated inenergy generating units DA, DB that are farer away, from which thenmolecular hydrogen M32 is produced in an electrolysis unit DC. Thismolecular hydrogen is stored in a temporary storage DE, and is broughtin suitable transport means DG to the utilization installation A.Hydrogen produced as a by-product in the chemical industry can serve asa further source of molecular hydrogen M32.

The difference in the power spectrum of a facility Z according to theinvention compared with a conventional power station operated withcarbonaceous fuels is explained more precisely in FIGS. 7( a) to (d).

FIG. 7( a) schematically shows the power profile of a conventionalthermal power station. The vertical axis shows the power P and thehorizontal axis the time t. The power station has an added heat contentP_(a), that is to say the heat energy or power contained in the fuel aschemical energy, and an effective thermal power P_(b), that is to saythe heat energy that is effectively convertible into electrical ormechanical energy per time unit. The demand for electrical power P_(e)in a conventional power grid varies not only during the day but alsoduring the week. In order to be able to cover with a power station alsothe peak loads, in addition to the base load P_(c), the entire nominaloutput of such a power plant installation must be directed towards thepeak load. This means that due to the required peak performance thedimensioning of the installation is larger than would actually benecessary on the basis of the average total power.

In a facility according to the invention for the generation of energy,in contrast, this is not necessary. Such a facility Z, as is shown forexample in FIG. 1, converts in the utilization installation A a constantpart of the chemical energy supplied in the form of the carbonaceousmaterials M10, M11 into thermal energy in the form of steam, which thenis converted for example using a steam turbine of the base load energyunit AF into electrical energy P_(f). A further fraction of the chemicalenergy supplied in the form of the carbonaceous materials M10, M11 isconverted in the synthesis stage P3 of the utilization unit AB with aconstant production power P_(g) into chemical energy in the form ofhigh-value carbonaceous fuels M61, for example diesel-like products orgaseous products such as propane. These fuels can be stored BA in anydesired amount and/or, as shown in FIG. 2, transported over short orlonger distances.

FIG. 7( d) schematically shows the profile of the total power P_(e) of afacility according to the invention over the course of a week. Duringthe peak load demand during the working days the peak load energyinstallation C generates electrical energy from the chemical fuels M61,which can then be fed at a correspondingly high price into an energygrid. The demand for chemical fuels M61 exceeds in this case theproduction power P_(g) of the utilization installation A substantially,which is marked by (—). This above-average consumption is taken off fromthe fuel storage BA. During the night and at the weekend the demand isgreatly reduced, and the production power P_(g) exceeds the demandP_(e), which is marked by (+). As a consequence, the fuel storage BA isreplenished again.

During the base load periods, the energy installation C can be run downto a minimum power level, as shown in FIG. 7( d), or the energyinstallation C is shut down completely, and so the base load P_(c) iscompletely covered by the base load energy unit AF.

A facility according to the invention therefore has the substantialadvantage that only a part P_(f) of the constant effective power P_(d)occurs in the form of thermal power, which as in a conventional powerstation must be converted immediately into electrical and/or mechanicalenergy. This part P_(f) can be used for delivering the power for thebase load minimum P_(c). Another part P_(g) of the effective powerP_(d), on the other hand, is temporarily stored in the form of fuels M61in the storage BA. The demand (P_(e)-P_(f)) that exceeds the thermalpower of the base load energy unit AF can then be covered by the peakload energy installation C from the fuel storage BA. This allows afacility according to the invention to be designed in such a way thatthe effective power P_(d) composed of thermal power P_(f) of base loadenergy unit AF and production power of the synthesis stage P3 of theutilization unit AB corresponds to the mean average demand as shown inFIG. 7( b). As a result, in a facility according to the invention havingthe same effective thermal power P_(d) as the thermal power P_(b) of aconventional power plant installation, a comparatively higher base loadpower P_(c1) and a higher peak load power is achieved, wherein for ashort time the peak power can considerably exceed the effective thermalpower P_(d).

Considered the other way round, a facility Z according to the invention,in order to be able to cover a defined demand profile, can be designedhaving a considerably smaller installed thermal power, for example with75% or 50% of the thermal power of a comparable conventional powerstation. This leads to considerably lower capital costs.

A facility according to the invention can be designed and optimized insuch a way that the power P_(f) generated directly from thermal energyis reduced in favor of the power P_(g) generated from the fuels M61.Such a variant is shown in FIG. 7( c). Such a facility according to theinvention can, while covering a reduced base load minimum P_(c2), storea significantly higher amount of energy. The corresponding stored energycan finally be used for generating peak load power P_(e2), which canthen be sold at a higher price.

Depending on the circumstances, it is possible to optimize a facilityaccording to the invention in regard to the flexible generation of peakload energy to the extent that the base load power of the energy AF isminimal, and optionally may only be sufficient for covering the internalenergy demand of the facility.

Utilization Processes and Utilization Installations

A first possible variant of a configuration of an installation A for thethermal-chemical utilization of carbonaceous solids using a processaccording to the invention, and a facility according to the invention,respectively, is schematically shown in FIG. 8. The utilizationinstallation A of the facility Z according to the invention comprises autilization unit AB with three subunits AC, AD, AE for carrying out thethree process stages P1, P2, P3 of the process according to theinvention, which are connected to form a closed cycle in such a mannerthat they allow a closed, cyclic gas stream. Of the treatment unit AH,only the silo A91 for the provision of the carbonaceous material M11treated for the process is shown. Of the discharging unit AG, on theother hand, only the slag depot A92 is depicted. The utilizationinstallation A can comprise an energy unit (not shown) or not. This isnot relevant for the functionality of the utilization process.

The three subunits AC, AD, AE of the utilization unit AB are connectedto a closed cycle in such a way that they allow a closed, cyclic gasstream. In the first process stage P1 (pyrolysis stage), and the firstsubunit AC, respectively, carbonaceous starting material M11 ispyrolysed under pressure, thereby forming pyrolysis coke M21 andpyrolysis gases M22. In the second process stage P2 (gasificationstage), and the second subunit AD, respectively, pyrolysis coke M21 isgasified to form synthesis gas M24, which is finally reacted in a thirdprocess stage P3 (synthesis stage), and in the third subunit AE,respectively, to form hydrocarbons and/or solid, liquid or gaseousproducts M60.

The carbonaceous starting materials M11 that are to be processed are fedinto the cycle continuously from a supply facility AH, P6 via the firstprocess stage P1. Simultaneously, the products M60, M61 generated fromthe synthesis gas M24 are continuously drawn off from the third processstage P3. The various residues M91, M92, M93 are continually removedfrom the cycle.

A multiplicity of carbonaceous materials can be used as startingmaterial M11 for a utilization process according to the invention, inparticular waste, biomass, coal, or other heterogeneous materials suchas for example contaminated soil, but also previously deposited waste,for example from landfills. This allows an environmentally friendly andcost-efficient removal of open landfills. Also solid-liquidpetroleum-containing materials that are difficult to utilize, such asoil shale, oil sand or oil sludge, can be utilized in a processaccording to the invention. Gaseous carbonaceous by-products of thechemical industry or the petroleum industry, which otherwise could notbe utilized and may even have to be flared off, can also be used asadditives M12.

The calorific value of the starting materials, the carbon content, watercontent, and the content of non-combustible residues such as metal,glass and ceramics, can vary very much. For that purpose the startingmaterial can be comminuted to a piece size suitable for a certainutilization installation, wherein the preferred piece size results fromthe consistency of the material and from the specific design of thefirst pressure reactor, and the internal transport system in thereactor, respectively. For processing using a moving grate, for example,a piece size of approximately 5-10 cm is very suitable.

The first process stage P1 comprises in the shown example a firstpressure reactor A13, in which under pressure a pyrolysis of thecarbonaceous starting material M11 takes place. The starting materialM11 is conveyed into the pressurized pyrolysis reactor A13 via asuitable pressure lock A11. In the shown embodiment, the pyrolysisreactor A13 consists of a horizontal pressure body A14 in which thehorizontal transport of the lumpy material proceeds along the reactorduring pyrolysis via a schematically shown moving grate A15, with grateplates moving to and fro. Any other transport device suitable forcontinuous advancing of the starting material that is to be processed islikewise useable, for example roller grates, chain conveyors, conveyorscrews, etc. A rotary kiln furnace can also be used.

In the pyrolysis reactor A13 the material is transported continuouslythrough the pressure reactor A13 at a temperature of approximately300-800° C. and a pressure of 1-60 bar and in the course of this ispyrolysed in the absence of oxygen. The temperature is selected, interalia, in such a manner that in addition to maintaining the pyrolysisreaction, the desired operating pressure is maintained, firstly, owingto the expansion of the gases because of the temperature, and secondlyowing to the new production of pyrolysis gases. A minimum temperature of450° C. ensures continuous complete reaction of free oxygen compoundsduring the pyrolysis. An operating temperature of 500-600° C. and anoperating pressure between 5 and 25 bar are particularly well suited.

The thermal energy necessary for the pyrolysis reactions originatesfirstly from the hot feedback gas stream M24 b from the second reactorA21, which will be considered further hereinafter. In addition, processsteam M50 serves for maintaining the operating temperature of the firstreactor. An external heat supply such as, for example, a heat exchangeror an external heater can likewise be present. The latter is alsoadvantageous during startup of the utilization installation A from thecold state.

Recycle gas M25 from the third process stage (synthesis stage) P3 is fedto the first pressure reactor A13 after passage through a compressorA42. The recycle gas M25 mainly contains carbon dioxide, and also watervapor, and carbon monoxide and hydrogen that have not reacted in thesynthesis stage, and also residual contents of low-molecular-weighthydrocarbons. In order to be able to control the process, additionalcarbon having a high calorific value can be introduced into the reactorA13, for example in the form of coal or heavy oil. These additives M12can already be added in advance to the starting material M11, or beintroduced separately into the reactor A13. The mixing of viscousadditives M12 with solid starting material M11 facilitates the transportof viscous material within the reactor. Liquid additives M12 in additionincrease the amount of pyrolysis gas, and thereby the operatingpressure.

In the pyrolysis in the first process stage P1, pyrolysis coke M21forms, which essentially consists of solid carbon and inorganicresidues. The pyrolysis coke M21 is discharged at the end of thepressure reactor A13. The pyrolysis gases M22 forming during thepyrolysis do not only contain gaseous materials, but also materials thatare solid and liquid at room temperature. The composition of thepyrolysis gases M22 naturally depends greatly on the starting materials,and may also contain pollutants.

The pyrolysis coke M21 is transported under pressure into the pressurereactor A21 of the second process stage P2. A closed conveying screw,for example, is again suitable. A pressure lock can also be provided.The pyrolysis gases M22 are likewise transported via a separatetransport pipe into the second pressure reactor A21. A compressor A41arranged in the transport pipe conveys the pyrolysis gases into thesecond pressure reactor A21, which is at a higher operating pressure.

In the second process stage P2, the operating temperature is between 600and 1600° C. In this second process stage the solid carbon in thepyrolysis coke M21 is then gasified using carbon dioxide and ifappropriate oxygen and/or steam as gasification agent, to form carbonmonoxide and hydrogen, according to the reactions I, II and III.

The carbon dioxide originates primarily from the recycle gas M25.Additional carbon dioxide M33 can also be fed into the cycle. The watervapor consists primarily of the residual moisture of the startingmaterial M11. Process steam M50 can also be fed in.

The thermal energy necessary for the course of these endothermicpyrolysis reactions originates, for example, from a partial oxidation ofthe solid carbon (reaction III) with oxygen M31 passed into the secondpressure reactor A21. The exothermic water gas shift reaction IV canalso contribute thereto.

For starting the utilization installation A, and for controlling theprocess, it can be necessary to feed additional fuels M13 to the secondreactor A21, such as, for example, coke, oil or petroleum gas, and/or toincrease the oxygen supply in order to temporarily increase the heatgeneration.

The ratio between carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is of importancefor the later synthesis in the third process stage P3, is given by thewater gas shift reaction IV and can be influenced in the directiontowards the right-hand side by adding process steam M50. However, it isadvantageous to keep the total amount of water in the system as low aspossible, and to introduce additional hydrogen M32 directly into thethird process stage instead.

In the shown example of a utilization unit AB, the second process stagelikewise comprises a pressure body A22, in which the pyrolysis coke istransported within the reactor A21 by a moving grate A23. Again, othertransport systems are also possible, as they have already been discussedfor the first pressure reactor A13. This has the advantage that thepyrolysis coke can be processed without further preparation in thesecond process stage.

In principle, the second reactor can alternatively be designeddifferently. For example, the pyrolysis coke could be comminuted ormilled in advance, which then allows a gasification of the coke in afluidized stream or entrained stream. However, this variant has thedisadvantage that the particles have a shorter retention time in thereactor, which requires a more homogeneous material feed andpreparation. In addition, such installations require a more precise andmore rapid control of the gas stream velocity and of other processparameters.

The reactive surface of lumpy pyrolysis coke is comparatively smallcompared with a likewise possible reaction in the fluidized stream,which, however, is compensated for by the comparatively long residencetime in the reactor A21 owing to the high mass capacity of the pressurereactor. A further advantage is the simpler upscalability. By means of asimple elongation of the pressure reactor or an enlargement of the crosssection, the capacity and therefore the conversion rate can be increasedwithout the need of changing the relevant process parameters such aspressure or temperature.

Reactors having an entrained stream or fluidized stream, in contrast,cannot be scaled up in such a simple and problem-free manner.

The oxygen M31 necessary for the partial oxidation and, if appropriate,the process steam M50 is blown into the firebed formed by the pyrolysiscoke, whereby the necessary thermal energy is generated and the reactorA21 is kept at operating temperature. Instead of pure oxygen, air couldalso be used, wherein, however, the inert atmospheric nitrogen expandsthe gas material stream circulating within the utilization installationand is difficult to remove again. This considerably reduces theefficiency of the installation and so pure oxygen is to be preferred inany case. In addition, the absence of nitrogen in the system alsoprevents the formation of nitrogen oxides.

In the exemplary embodiment of a utilization installation A shown inFIG. 8, the pyrolysis gases M22 are blown into the gas phase above thefirebed in the pressure reactor A21, where at the prevailing hightemperatures the polyatomic molecules contained in the pyrolysis gasesM22 are very rapidly cracked and broken down. The synthesis gas M24formed in the second process stage therefore essentially no longercontains organic molecules, and can be used for the Fischer-Tropschsynthesis in the third process stage. Also, pollutants such as dioxin,for example, are decomposed.

The oxygen supply M31 into the firebed and the point of entry of thepyrolysis gases M22 into the pressure reactor are advantageously chosenin such a manner that dioxins cannot form, which can be achieved by asuitable spatial separation. Likewise, in the exiting synthesis gas, nooxygen should be present.

For unproblematic starting materials such as, for example, woodchips orstraw or other unpolluted biomasses, it is also possible to burn thepyrolysis gases M22 in advance with oxygen in a separate burner and topass the hot exhaust gases likewise into the firebed, for the purpose offeeding thermal energy, or to blow them unburned directly into thefirebed where they are also oxidized.

At the end of the pressure reactor A21, residues remain in the form ofash and inert residues, and as the case may be unprocessed carbon. Ifslagging is desired, additives can be added that lower the ash meltingpoint. For this purpose, for example chalk powder can be added to thestarting material M11. The slag is discharged from the second pressurereactor A21 via a suitable pressure lock A28 from the pressure area ofthe utilization installation AB.

The second process stage can alternatively be designed in such a waythat unreacted pyrolysis coke at the end of the pressure reactor isagain transported to the start and thus can pass through the reactor asecond time. This allows a shorter design of the pressure reactor.

The synthesis gas stream M24 is discharged from the second pressurereactor A21, and a major part M24 a is passed through a suitable heatexchanger A44, where the gas stream is cooled down to a temperature thatis suitable for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in the third process stageP3, at the same time generating e.g. process steam M50 for internalprocess purposes and/or steam M52 for energy generation in an energyunit AF (not shown). Due to the lower temperatures, pressure falls andthe equilibrium of reactions I, II and IV is shifted, as a result ofwhich the fraction of carbon dioxide in the synthesis gas increasesagain. Likewise, solid carbon M94 can separate from the gas stream inthe form of graphite. The carbon M94 can be passed as starting materialM11, M12 back into the cycle, be used as a valuable material in otherways, or be removed from the system as residual material.

Subsequently the synthesis gas stream M24 a is passed into a cycloneseparator A47, where dust M92, mainly consisting of residual coke andash, is separated off. The residual dust M92 can be passed back into thefirst pressure reactor A13 or the second pressure reactor A21, or it istreated and/or discharged. Instead of a cyclone separator, also othersuitable gas stream purification devices can be used.

If the carbon M94 is not separated out, it arrives together with thesynthesis gas stream in the Fischer-Tropsch reactor A31, where it can beseparated out or filtered off together with the carbon formed asby-product in the Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

Depending on the starting material, further a gas stream treatment canbe provided, in order to remove interfering materials in the synthesisgas. In particular, residues are advantageously removed that aredisadvantageous to the subsequent synthesis stage. For example, sulphurcompounds can act as a catalyst poison in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

The synthesis gas M24 is then fed via a pressure regulator A48 to athird pressure reactor A31 of the third process stage P3, in which aFischer-Tropsch synthesis is carried out. The pressure regulator A48reduces the pressure to the value desired for the third process stage.For setting the desired ratio of carbon monoxide/hydrogen, additionalhydrogen M32 can be passed into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor A31.Likewise, the necessary solid catalysts M37 are supplied.

In the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of the third process stage, the carbonmonoxide and the hydrogen react highly exothermically (approximately 158kJ/mol per hydrocarbon chain member at 250° C.) in the presence ofheterogeneous catalysts (for example iron, cobalt, ruthenium, nickelcatalysts) to form alkanes, olefins, alcohols, aldehydes and otherhydrocarbon compounds and derivatives. By-products are methane and solidcarbon, which are likewise formed in highly exothermic reactions. Theexact parameters of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, in particularpressure and temperature, primarily depend on the products to beproduced, and are not directly relevant to the fundamental functionalprinciple of a facility according to the invention or the processaccording to the invention. Higher process temperatures have a tendencyto lead to shorter chain lengths and increased carbon deposition,whereas higher pressures lead to longer chain lengths. In addition,especially the present partial pressures of carbon monoxide, hydrogenand water have a great influence on the synthesis products.

Suitable for the synthesis process stage are, for example,low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch processes, which are operated, forexample, at 210 to 250° C., and mainly yield diesel-like products andlong-chain fractions in the form of waxes. The latter can then beutilized further, for example by hydrocracking. High-temperatureprocesses having temperatures between 320 and 350° C. in turn yieldconsiderable fractions of methane, short-chain alkanes and alkenes, andalso relatively high fractions of light petrol. For low-temperatureprocesses, for example tube-bundle reactors are suitable, in which thesynthesis gas flows from top to bottom through catalyst-charged, cooledtubes. Recycle gas and products leave the tube at the bottom.

Particularly suitable reactors are modern suspensation reactors(schematically shown in FIG. 8), in which the solid catalyst floatsfinely distributed in the liquid product (so called Sasol-slurryFischer-Tropsch process). Reaction products are separated off from theliquid phase, while gaseous products leave the reactor as part of therecycle gas M25. The heat is removed via suspended cooling tubes A32,thereby generating steam M51, M50.

Suspensation reactors have a simpler form of construction thantube-bundle reactors, and are therefore less costly. The catalyst can beused more efficiently and is exchangeable during running operation,which is advantageous in the cyclic process according to the invention.In addition, such a process has the advantage that the heterogeneouscatalyst can be continuously regenerated by mechanical exposure of newunused surfaces of the catalyst particles during the circulation. Inthis manner sulphur poisoning of the catalyst can be continuouslycompensated for. As a consequence thereof, if appropriate, the removalof sulphur from the synthesis gas stream can be dispensed with.

The steam M51, M50 obtained by the cooling device A32 containsconsiderable thermal energy, but is not yet hot enough for efficientutilization, for example in a steam turbine of an energy unit AF. It istherefore advantageously used for the production of hot steam M52, forexample in the heat exchanger A44, in order to increase the generalenergy efficiency of the installation. The interplay between autilization unit AB and a further energy-generating subunit AF of autilization installation A has already been considered in FIGS. 3 to 5.

The gas stream M25 which leaves the Fischer-Tropsch reactor A31, inaddition to unreacted carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, further containswater vapor, carbon dioxide and gaseous reaction products M60. Afraction of highly volatile hydrocarbons M60 can be condensed outtherefrom, for example using a cooling column (not shown). Likewise,water M41 can be condensed out, and thus removed from the recycle gasand thereby from the material stream. From the remaining recycle gasstream, a part M25 b can be separated off as process product. Theremaining recycle gas stream M25 a is compressed in a compressor A42,and is recirculated to the first reactor A13.

The cyclic conveying of the gas stream within the utilizationinstallation A proceeds mainly owing to the prevailing pressuredifferentials along the cycle. These are primarily generated by the twocompressors A41, A42. Depending on the design of the installation, oneof the two compressors can be dispensed with, which lowers the totalcosts of the installation. If the installation contains only onecompressor (such as, for example, in the second exemplary embodiment ofa utilization installation in FIG. 9 described hereinafter), thearrangement upstream of the first reactor A13 has the advantage that thecorresponding compressor A42 needs to compress a lower gas volume than acompressor A41 between the first and second process stages, where inaddition the pyrolysis gases accrue, and the total volume is higherowing to the higher temperature, or even between the second and thirdprocess stage.

If the compressor A41 is dispensed with, there is only a small pressuredrop between the two reactors A13, A21, such that the first and secondprocess stages proceed essentially at the same pressure. The gas streamthen runs from the compressor A42 via the first reactor A13, secondreactor A21 and third reactor A31 back to the compressor A42. If, incontrast, the compressor A42 is dispensed with, the pressure isessentially identical within the third reactor A31 and the first reactorA13. A compressor can also be arranged between the second and thirdprocess stage. For reasons of entropy, at least one compressor oranother transport means must be present in order to convey the gasstream and to keep the process running.

For compensating temporary fluctuations in the gas production owing toheterogeneous starting material, pressure storages (not shown) can beprovided along the gas cycle M22, M24, M25. Similarly, it is alsopossible to provide a temporary storage for the pyrolysis coke M21.

If the utilization unit A of FIG. 8 is dimensioned comparably small, andcorrespondingly the volumetric flow rate M22 between the first pressurereactor A13 and the second pressure reactor A21 is comparatively small,the compressor A41 can generate a pressure difference of several barwith reasonable energy expenditure. The first process stage could thenbe run at a substantially lower pressure than the second process stage.The first process stage can even be carried out at atmospheric pressureor even reduced pressure.

Start of Operation of a Utilization Installation

Hereinafter a possible method will now be described for starting theoperation of a utilization installation A as shown in FIG. 8. Forstarting up of the utilization installation A, the cycle and the threeprocess stages are flushed and filled with an oxygen-free gas,advantageously with carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide and/orhydrogen gas or mixtures thereof, that is to say synthesis gas.Subsequently the second reactor A21, filled in advance with coke, isthen heated up, for example using gas burners. For this purpose thesecond reactor is separated from the cycle, by closing the correspondingconnections. During the heating up to the desired operating temperature,the transportation A23 of the coke within the pressure reactor A21 isnot yet activated. If appropriate, a temporary bypass (not shown) can beprovided in the cycle, between heat exchanger A44 and pressure reactorA21, in order to be able to circulate the heated gas in the system andto evenly heat up the entire installation section. The pressure islikewise increased to the scheduled value.

In parallel thereto, the first pressure reactor A13, which has also beenfilled with coke in advance, is separated from the cycle and heated upto the intended operating temperature of the first process stage. Thepressure is likewise brought to the desired value for the first processstage. The material transport A15 in the first reactor still remainsswitched off. However, the heating should preferably take place withoutstarting material, since pyrolysis of the starting material below aminimum safe operating temperature of 450° C. can lead to the formationof explosive mixtures. The coke, in contrast, is already pyrolysed, andonly serves for feeding coke into the second process stage, when laterthe cycle is started up.

The Fischer-Tropsch reactor A31 is likewise run up to the operatingconditions while being separated from the cycle. After the operatingconditions have been reached in the various process stages of theutilization installation, the various transport systems A15, A23 are runup slowly, the cycle is opened and the compressors A41, A42 areactivated, so that finally an equilibrium state of the utilizationinstallation AB results at the desired operating parameters.

A further embodiment of a utilization unit AB of a facility Z accordingto the invention is shown in FIG. 9. For the sake of clarity, theboundary of the utilization unit AB is not shown.

In contrast to the utilization unit AB in FIG. 8, no compressor isarranged between the first pressure reactor A13 and the second pressurereactor A21, but only a nonreturn valve A53, which, however, can also bedispensed with. The gas stream is conveyed through the installation bythe pressure drop generated by the compressor A42. Since thisadvantageous variant needs only a single compressor A42 that, inaddition, can have a lower throughput volume, the overall costs of theinstallation AB are reduced.

In the shown variant, the branched-off synthesis gas stream M24 b is notpassed directly back into the first reactor A13, but instead isconducted through a heating device A16 of the pressure reactor A13, andis then again combined with the synthesis gas M24 a. Alternatively or inaddition, a further heating device A17 can be provided, which isoperated with process steam M50.

A heat exchanger A45 is arranged in the recycle gas stream M25 a, andserves for heating the recycle gas stream M25 a by process steam M50.The recycle gas stream thus in this embodiment also serves as the heatsupply to the first pressure reactor A13.

In the shown example, no pressure reduction is provided upstream of thethird pressure reactor A31. The pressure in the third process stage iscontrolled in this case directly by the pressure control in the secondprocess stage, and by the subsequent pressure drop owing to the coolingdown of the synthesis gas stream M24 in the heat exchanger A44, and bythe compressor A42.

In a further possible variant of the process according to the invention,the low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch reactor of the third process stageis replaced by a high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch reactor, in which thecatalyst is present as swirled flydust. The gaseous short-chainhydrocarbons that are preferentially formed in the high-temperatureFischer-Tropsch synthesis, and which after a first condensation stageremain in the recycle gas, are separated off by permeation gas filtersfrom the smaller molecules of the recycle gas such as carbon dioxide,carbon monoxide, hydrogen. Such systems are known, for example, from thepetrochemical industry for purifying petroleum gas. In the present casethey serve for generating a first hydrocarbon-rich gas phase and asecond, low-hydrocarbon gas phase. The hydrocarbon-rich gas phase isfurther utilized as fuel for a second generator stage for generatingelectrical energy, or is processed to liquid gas and petroleum gas. Thelow-hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide-rich second gas phase is charged backinto the cycle as recycle gas.

In yet another variant of a utilization installation of a facilityaccording to the invention, the third process stage P3, instead of aFischer-Tropsch reactor, contains a liquid-phase methanol synthesisreactor. The liquid-phase methanol synthesis known from the prior art isparticularly suitable for producing methanol in high yield fromsynthesis gas having a relatively high fraction of carbon dioxide. Thesynthesis takes place in a “slurry-bubble column reactor” in which thesynthesis gas is blown into a slurry of the pulverulent catalyst in aninert mineral oil. The reaction is highly exothermic and so a coolingdevice is necessary. The produced gaseous methanol leaves the pressurereactor together with unreacted synthesis gas. After entrained mineraloil and catalyst are separated off, the methanol is condensed out.

Methanol is a valuable base product for the chemical industry and canalso be used as a propellant. Methanol can, in addition, act as additiveto petrol, wherein, for example in Germany a fraction of up to 3%methanol in vehicle petrol is permitted. The methanol can in particularalso be used as fuel M60 for a second generator stage.

Control and Optimization of the Operating Parameters of a UtilizationInstallation

The process according to the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is basedon a cyclic matter flow through the three process stages P1, P2, P3 ofthe utilization unit AB, wherein carbonaceous starting material M11 isfed into the cycle as carbon source and energy source, and the productsof the synthesis stage are branched off as high-grade products M60 or asfuels M61 for the energy installation C of the facility Z according tothe invention. Slag M91 and other residual materials M92, M93, M94, aswell as water vapor in the recycle gas M25 b, are continuously removedfrom the cycle. The steam produced in the heat exchangers is used on onehand as process steam M50 for operating the installation, therebyincreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the installation. On theother hand, the superheated steam M51, M52 can be used for energygeneration in an energy unit AF.

Essentially, in a utilization process according to the invention, froman energy-rich but heterogeneous solid starting material M11 that isdifficult to utilize, an again energy-rich product M60, M61 is produced,namely the different fractions of the Fischer-Tropsch stage. Thesesubsequently can be further utilized, for example as liquid propellantsor as reactants for the chemical industry. The energy necessary foroperating the utilization installation AB originates from the partialoxidation reaction in the second process stage, wherein an excess of thechemical energy generated (in the form of the synthesis gas) is laterconverted again in the exothermic Fischer-Tropsch reaction of the thirdprocess stage into thermal energy in the form of steam M50, M51.

In a particularly advantageous variant of an energy generation processaccording to the invention, or a facility Z according to the invention,respectively, superheated steam M52 is generated from the startingmaterial M11, for long-term operation of a base load energy unit AF, andalso fuel M61 for flexible operation of a peak load energy unit C.

Owing to the closed, circulating matter stream in the process, a dynamicequilibrium is present during operation of the utilization installationA. The necessary values of the various parameters (pressure,temperature, chemical compositions, transport velocities etc.) in theindividual parts of the installation are determined, inter alia, by thenature of the starting material used. In order to keep a constantoperating state, despite the heterogeneous starting material, variousoperating parameters can be controlled.

For producing the hydrocarbons and other products in the thirdFischer-Tropsch stage P3, the pressure and the temperature in the thirdreactor A31 are the decisive parameters. The pressure can be controlledin a short term using the compressor A42 by increasing or decreasing theperformance. The temperature can in turn be controlled via the coolingperformance of the heat exchanger A32. In the long term the pressure canbe controlled via the pressure in the synthesis gas stream M24, on onehand by changing the operating pressure and the temperature in thesecond process stage, and on the other hand by controlling the coolingperformance of the heat exchanger A44 and thereby the temperature andpressure drop in the synthesis gas stream M24.

The controlling a utilization installation A is comparatively simple,since the installation runs in an equilibrium with feedback, and for thecontrol of a few relevant parameters a multiplicity of parameters, theindividual operating parameters of the various installation components,can be modified, which can influence the equilibrium slowly or rapidly.

The utilization process according to the invention is preferably carriedout with an elevated carbon dioxide fraction. This, inter alia, shiftsthe reaction equilibrium IV to the left-hand side (more carbonmonoxide). The elevated operating pressure of the utilizationinstallation between 10 and 60 bar allows such an elevated carbondioxide content, simultaneously to a nevertheless as high as possibleabsolute amount of carbon monoxide, and thus of processing output.Higher or lower pressures are likewise possible, but less efficient.

The utilization installation can be optimized with respect to variousaspects. For example, if mainly valuable materials such as, for example,diesel-like and petrol-like hydrocarbons and waxes, etc. are to beproduced in the third process stage from carbon dioxide-neutral biomasssuch as, for example, woodchips, the process is directed towards an asfavorable as possible ratio between the costs of the biomass and runningoperation and the value of the high-value materials generated. Incontrast, less account needs to be taken of the emission of carbondioxide, since it is in any case carbon dioxide-neutral biomass. Inorder to improve the ecological balance further, the external energysupply (electrical power etc.) can be reduced, with simultaneouslyelevated biomass consumption.

If, in contrast, the focus lies on an environmentally friendly disposalof polluted materials with minimum carbon dioxide production, theinstallation is operated in such a manner that as little carbon dioxideas possible needs to be removed from the cycle and released to theenvironment. This then, as the case may be, can lead to an elevateddemand for external energy.

Likewise, the utilization installation can be optimized toward maximumthroughput of starting material, and so as the case may be unprocessedpyrolysis coke can leave the third process stage together with the slag.The pyrolysis coke, which is environmentally little problematic, canthen be landfilled together with the slag. Such a variant isadvantageous for example when large amounts of polluted material need tobe made harmless in a carbon-dioxide-neutral manner.

The operating temperature of the second process stage P2 can likewise beoptimized. Thus, for example, the operating temperature of the secondprocess stage P1 of the utilization unit AB can be lowered, in order toelevate the quantitative throughput in the second reactor A21. This thenpossibly leads to certain volatile materials in the pyrolysis gas M22 nolonger being cracked and passing together with the synthesis gas M24into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor A31. Thus, for example, benzene canpass from the starting material, for example from heavy oil, inrelatively small amounts into the products of the Fischer-Tropschsynthesis. There these materials remain as part of a liquid fuel M61,but, if necessary, can also be separated off.

FIG. 10 schematically shows one more advantageous embodiment of autilization unit AB. Between the first process stage P1 and the secondprocess stage P2, a heat exchanger A46 is arranged, which serves forheating the pyrolysis gases M22 with process steam to the operatingtemperature of the second process stage, prior to entry into the secondpressure reactor A21. It is also possible to supply the heat exchangerA46 with hot synthesis gas M24.

The compressor A43 is arranged in the transport pipe of the synthesisgas M24, downstream of a heat exchanger A44. Although the mass flow atthis point of the installation is the largest, owing to the greatlylowered temperature downstream of the heat exchanger A44, the gas volumethat must be handled by the compressor A43 is smaller, and the operatingtemperature is favorable for the compressor, since it is lower.

In the shown utilization unit AB, no cyclone separator is provided forseparating off solid components M92 in the synthesis gas stream. Theresidual dust M92, M94 enters unhindered into the third process stageP3, where it is bound in the liquid phase of the synthesis reactor A31.Since the residual dust is insoluble in hydrocarbons, it can be filteredout without great effort. Dispensing with the cyclone separator reducesthe costs of the utilization installation AB.

A further advantageous embodiment of a utilization unit AB of a facilityZ according to the invention is shown in FIG. 11, which is particularlysuitable for producing liquid fuels M61 from unpolluted biomass such as,for example, woodchips. In this variant, the pyrolysis gases M22 are notpassed into the second process stage P2, but into the third processstage P3, the synthesis gas M24 is not passed into the third processstage P3, but into the first process stage P1, and the recycle gas M25is not passed into the first process stage P1, but into the secondprocess stage P2.

In the first process stage P1, the hot synthesis gas stream M24 heatsthe pyrolysis material and maintains the operating temperature. Thepyrolysis gas stream M22 exiting from the first process stage, inaddition to the actual pyrolysis gases, then also contains the synthesisgas fraction of the second process stage, which here thus makes a loopvia the first process stage.

In the second process stage P2, the synthesis gas fraction in thepyrolysis gases M22 reacts, whereas the pyrolysis gas fractions thathave not already condensed out M23 in the heat exchanger A45 dissolve inthe liquid phase of the synthesis reactor A31. Since in the case ofdirect use of the products M60 of the third process stage as propellantor as fuel for the second drive device C11, the purity requirements arenot particularly high, cracking the pyrolysis gases can be dispensedwith. The propellant or fuel M61 is subsequently post-purified, in orderto remove unsuitable residues such as, for example, organic acids etc.The condensed fractions M23 of the pyrolysis gas, which have a lowmelting point and boiling point, and contain a considerable fraction oftar, advantageously can be fed into the second process stage as solid orliquid additive M23.

The recycle gas stream M25 is subsequently compressed A42, heated A46,and passed into the second process stage P2, and so again a cycle isformed. Since cracking the gases that are introduced into the pressurereactor A21 is not necessary, the second process stage can be run at alower operating temperature.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a utilization unit B, in which the firstprocess stage and the second process stage P1, P2 are carried out in ashared pressure reactor A24. The pyrolysis takes place in a firstchamber A25 of the reactor A24, and the gasification in a second chamberA26. The two chambers A25, A26 are formed by a dividing wall A27arranged in the pressure reactor A24, having a through hole throughwhich a shared transport system conveys the pyrolysis coke M21, andthrough which streams the pyrolysis gas M22. The dividing wall A27mainly serves for thermally isolating the two chambers A27, A26, suchthat different operating temperatures can be run in the two processstages. It is also possible to equip such a shared pressure reactor withmore than one chamber.

Energy Installation for the Generation of Peak Load Energy

If a drive device C11 of an energy installation C of a facilityaccording to the invention is configured as a combustion engine, in anadvantageous variant of such a drive device water M40 can be used as anadditional expansion means. For that purpose, after ignition of thecombustion process, for example after self-ignition of the compressedfuel-air mixture in a Diesel engine, a certain amount of water isinjected into the cylinder. This water, which is preferably finelydispersed, is subsequently vaporized by the heat energy of theexothermic oxidation reaction. So the resulting increase in gas pressureand gas volume due to the water vapor adds to the generation of thekinetic energy, wherein, however, at the same time the temperature ofthe overall mixture of combustion gases and water vapor is reduced.This, however, is unproblematic, or even desirable, since due to thehigher energy density of a reaction with pure oxygen considerably higherreaction temperatures occur, which increases thermodynamic efficiency,but also stresses the components of the drive device C11.

Alternatively, the water can also be provided as water vapor M50. Acertain amount of liquid water can also be provided mixed with theliquid fuel. At high reaction temperatures, superheated steam furtheracts as additional oxidation agent, in addition to the oxygen.

Hereinafter, in FIG. 13, the mode of operation of such a possible drivedevice C11 for a peak load energy installation C of a facility Zaccording to the invention will be described and explained in moredetail, with reference to the example of a combustion engine in the formof a piston engine with a cylinder. Analogously, drive devices C11 thatare designed as combustion engines can also be designed as turbines orWankel engines, etc. The hot combustion gases are used in accordancewith the functional principle of the respective type of combustionengine for the performance of mechanical work, for example for operatinga generator installation, and in the course of that are partiallyexpanded. Subsequently the oxidation gas M27 leaves the combustionchamber. Thus, for example in a combustion engine designed as afour-stroke piston engine, in the third stroke the combustion gasmixture M27 is ejected from the cylinder, and is subsequently compressedand cooled down. Likewise, it is possible to implement a drive deviceC11 as a heat engine with external combustion, for example as a steamengine or steam turbine.

The combustion engine C11 shown in FIG. 13 comprises a cylinder C22, anda piston C23 movably arranged therein, which together form a closedcombustion chamber C21. With a feed device C27 that is onlyschematically shown, in a first stroke oxygen M31 is introduced into theexpanding combustion chamber C21. Subsequently, in a second stroke, theoxygen M31 is compressed and at the end of the second stroke the fuelM61 is introduced into the combustion chamber C21 by a feed device C29and is combusted. In the subsequent third stroke, the expandingcombustion gases M27 perform mechanical work, and during the fourthstroke the partially expanded combustion gases M27 are discharged fromthe combustion chamber C21 by a venting device C24, which is not shownin more detail.

The hot oxidation gases M27, which essentially consist only of carbondioxide and water vapor, are subsequently cooled down in a downstreamheat exchanger C12. The volume of these oxidation gases M27 is reducedthereby. As a result of the cooling the major part of the water M41condenses out and is separated off. The remaining residual gas M26,which essentially consists only of carbon dioxide and possibly residualfractions of carbon monoxide and unreacted fuels, is compressed in acompressor C13 arranged in series and is collected in pressure storageBB. The condensation stage C12 upstream of the compression decreases inthis process the unwanted formation of condensation water droplets inthe compressor C13.

The depicted combustion engine C11 does not comprise any emissions.Since the device is not operated with air or similar gas mixtures asoxidizing agent, no air-specific pollutants such as, for example,nitrogen oxides can form either. The water formed in the combustion isnot a problem and can be separated off. The carbon dioxide is conductedas residual gas M26 into the cycle of the utilization installation AB.Unburned fractions of the fuel condense out either together with thewater and are separated off, or are compressed together with the carbondioxide. The oxidation gases M27 from the drive device C11 can also bepassed without cooling directly into the first or second process stage.

If the peak load energy installation C is spatially separated from theutilization installation A, and a direct return line for the residualgases M26 is not practicable, these can also be very highly compressedand transported back at high pressure in pressure storages BB from theenergy installation C to the utilization installation A.

A further possible embodiment of a drive device C11 designed as acombustion engine is schematically shown in FIG. 14. In this variantwater M40 is introduced into the combustion chamber C21 by means of anonly schematically shown feed device C28. This proceeds preferably insuch a manner that during or after the combustion reaction a definedamount of water is injected in liquid or gaseous state into thecombustion chamber C21 and is finely distributed. This water is heatedby the combustion heat, whereby the entire gas volume increases in thecombustion chamber C21, and thereby also the gas pressure or gas volumeavailable for performing mechanical work. Correspondingly, the amount offuel can then be decreased, with unchanged power.

Alternatively or in addition, water M40 can also be introduced into theoxidation gas stream M27 when it leaves the combustion chamber C21. Sucha variant has the advantage that the combustion reaction in thecombustion chamber can proceed efficiently at temperatures as high aspossible, and simultaneously the resultant temperature of the oxidationgas stream is so low that the subsequent appliances C12, C13 are lessstressed.

The amount of water and the time of the injection are matched to thefeed of fuel M61 and oxygen M31 in such a manner that the combustionreaction can take place efficiently. Advantageously, the resultanttemperature during the oxidation reaction is essentially such that athermodynamic efficiency of the heat engine is achieved that is as highas possible. The higher the amount of water used, the lower is inaddition the relative fraction of carbon dioxide in the reaction gases,which reduces the amount of residual gas M26 remaining aftercondensation of the water M41.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the oxidation gases M27 are firstcompressed in a compressor C13 before they are subsequently cooled downin the heat exchanger C12. This variant is also combinable with thecombustion engine C11 without water injection from FIG. 13, and viceversa, and can be used in general for a drive device C11.

The energy necessary for operating the compressor of a drive device C11is advantageously generated by the drive device itself. As a consequencethereof, the achievable efficiency of the drive device decreases, but atthe same time the emission-freeness of said drive device is therebyachieved. In addition, the achievable power for the same enginedimensions is greater, which again compensates for the loss of power.The compressor can, for example, be operated via a suitable geardirectly by the crankshaft of a piston combustion engine.

If the drive device C11 comprises a turbine, the compressor can sitdirectly on the same shaft. Directly subsequent to the expansion processthe oxidation gases can then be condensed and the remaining residualstream be compressed.

In another variant of a drive device, designed as a piston engine, afterthe combustion the oxidation gases are already precompressed within thecombustion chamber in the third stroke, and are only then discharged bythe venting device C24. If appropriate, the downstream compressor C13can also be omitted.

Such an embodiment is also possible as a two-stroke variant, because ina drive device the new loading of the combustion chamber with reactionmixture (fuel M61, oxygen M31, water M40) can proceed very rapidly. In asecond upward stroke, the combustion gases are precompressed, andtowards the end of the stroke are released from the combustion chamber.The gaseous oxygen can be blown into the combustion chamber at highpressure at the end of the upwards stroke, since for a completecombustion reaction comparatively little oxygen is required, and wateris present as additional expansion agent. The liquid fuel M61 and thewater M40 as expansion agent can in any case be injected into thecombustion chamber C21 very rapidly and at high pressure.

The energy consumption of the compressor C13 can be optimized bysuitable combination with one or more heat exchangers or coolingelements, in which the gas volume can be reduced by disposing heatenergy of the reaction gases at an internal or external heat sink.

By means of the heat exchanger/condenser C12, steam can be generated,which can either serve for increasing the efficiency of an energy unitAF of the utilization installation, or for obtaining process steam M50for operating the utilization unit AB of the utilization installation.

FIG. 15 shows a particularly advantageous embodiment variant of a peakload energy installation C, having a drive device C11 that isconstructed as a combined gas/steam turbine. In an upstream combustionchamber C21, fuel M61 is burned with oxygen M31 in a burner C25, forminga very hot combustion gas. Water is introduced into the combustionchamber C21, preferably as superheated liquid water having a temperatureof, for example, 250° C., and a pressure of 50 bar. The resultant steammixes with the combustion exhaust gases in such a manner that a hot(e.g. 600° C.) oxidation gas M27 a with a high fraction of superheatedsteam forms, which exits from the combustion chamber C21 and isconverted in a downstream turbine device C30 into mechanical work withwhich, in turn, a generator device C31 is driven. Depending on thedesign, the gas mixture in the combustion chamber behaves isochorically,in such a manner that the gas pressure increases, or isobarically, insuch a manner that the gas volume increases accordingly, or both thevolume and the pressure increase. Thus the following turbine device C30must also be designed correspondingly. Suitable turbines C30 are knownfrom the prior art, and generally have multiple process stages. In analternative variant, partially expanded process steam M50 can beextracted downstream of a high-pressure stage of the turbine device C30,and can be used in other ways.

The expanded oxidation gas M27 b is passed into a condenser/economizerC12 where the water M41 is condensed out and separated off. Theremaining residual gas M26 which contains essentially carbon dioxide, iscompressed in a compressor C13 and transported into the first processstage P1 of a utilization installation AB. The compressor C13 isadvantageously driven directly via the turbine C30.

Instead of in the combustion chamber C21, the water M40 can also bemixed with the oxidation gas stream M27 a downstream to the combustionchamber C21, for example by means of a Venturi nozzle.

In the drive device C11, the amount of water M40 and the amount ofcombustion mixture M61, M31, and the further chooseable parameters, areadvantageously matched to one another in such a way that the downstreamturbine achieves an energy utilization as high as possible. At the sametime, the fraction of water in the oxidation gas mixture M27 b shall beas high as possible. On one hand, this way across the condenser C12 apressure drop as high as possible of the gas mixture is achieved, whichincreases the total pressure difference over the turbine C30 and therebyits efficiency. On the other hand, less residual gas M26 remains thatmust be compressed C13.

A further advantage of introducing steam into the combustion chamber isthe cooling effect of the steam M50. The exothermic oxidation of thefuel mixture M60, M31 can lead to very high temperatures of up to 1000°C., or even 2000° C. Such temperatures would stress very much thestructures of the combustion chamber C21 and of the downstream turbinedevice C30. The comparatively cold water vapor is preferably introducedinto the chamber in such a manner that it shields the walls of thecombustion chamber C21 from the very hot flame C26. The steam finallycools the entire gas mixture to 600° C. to 800° C., which lowers thethermal load of the turbine blades, and correspondingly increases theservice life.

In addition to the abovementioned aspects, the drive device showndiffers for example from a conventional gas turbine also in that nocompressor is connected upstream of the combustion chamber. This allowsa significantly simpler design of the combustion chamber C21 than in agas turbine. Since the fuels M61 are burned with pure oxygen M31, theachievable energy density is higher than with the use of air with itsreduced oxygen fraction. In order to increase the amount of oxygen thatcan be introduced per unit time into the combustion chamber C21, theoxygen can be pressurized in advance. The turbine device C30 can bedesigned like a steam turbine, since the temperature and pressure rangesof the oxidation gas M27 a are essentially the same.

In normal operation, the drive device C11 of the energy installation Cremains in no-load operation. A small amount of steam keeps the turbineC30 in motion, while the generator device does not produce electricpower. If now the electrical power demand increases within a short timeperiod, fuel mixture M31, M60 is injected into the combustion chamberC21 and ignited with an ignition device (not shown). At the same time,the amount of injected water M40, M50 is increased. The turbine C30 nowruns up, and the generator C31 starts to operate.

The drive device C11 can also be permanently in operation, for exampleat 10% to 50% of the power of the base load generator installation AF.When the electrical power demand increases, the installation C can thenbe brought to maximum power in a very short time, for example 500% ofthe power of the base load generator installation AF. A facility Zaccording to the invention can thus adapt the total power verydynamically over a broad range. A peak load energy installation C canalso have a plurality of combustion chambers C21 and/or turbine devicesC30.

Modular Construction of the Installation

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of a facility according to theinvention, the individual installation components are dimensioned andconstructed in such a manner that they can be dismantled efficientlyinto individual modules, which can be transported by truck, and cansubsequently be reassembled. Particularly advantageous is a maximumdimensioning of the modules that permits transport without specialtransport means.

Such a modular facility according to the invention has the advantagethat it can also be set up only temporarily, for example for anoperating time of only some years or even only months. As soon as thedemand no longer exists, it can be disassembled and reconstructed at anew location. Such a facility is particularly useful, for example, inthe mining industry, when in remote mining areas in a short time arelatively large energy infrastructure must be constructed, which is nolonger required at the end of the mining activity. For instance, autilization installation of a facility according to the invention can beused, for example, for producing diesel fuel from locally grown biomassand carbonaceous waste materials, for vehicles and electrical powergenerators of a remote open-cast mine, and/or electrical energy foroperating the infrastructure.

Facilities according to the invention are particularly suitable for amodular architecture. In particular, the reactors of the first andsecond process stages can be constructed as horizontal reactors, havinga comparatively small cross section without reducing the throughput. Thereactor is simply correspondingly lengthened in the longitudinaldirection. The reactor can be assembled in the longitudinal direction ofa plurality of modules flanged together. The synthesis reactor may bescaled up by using a plurality of parallel reactors.

Various embodiments have been shown and described above. However, it isobvious to a person skilled in the art that various alterations andmodifications can be performed without departing from the principle ofthe invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   Z Facility for the emission-free generation of energy and    hydrocarbons and other products by the utilization of carbonaceous    materials-   A Utilization installation-   AB Utilization unit-   AC, AD, AE Subunits of the first, second, and third process stage of    the cycle unit-   A11 Pressure lock-   A13 Pyrolysis reactor, first pressure reactor-   A14 Pressure body-   A15 Moving grate-   A16, A17 Heating device-   A21 Gasification reactor, second pressure reactor-   A22 Pressure body-   A23 Moving grate-   A24 Shared pressure reactor of first and second process stage-   A25 First chamber-   A26 Second chamber-   A27 Dividing wall-   A28 Pressure lock-   A31 Fischer-Tropsch reactor, synthesis reactor-   A32 Synthesis stage cooling, boiler in the steam cycle of the energy    unit AF-   A41, A42, A43 Compressor-   A44, A45, A46 Heat exchanger, superheater of the steam cycle of    energy unit AF-   A47 Cyclone separator-   A48 Pressure reduction-   A49, A50, A51, A52 Shut-off valve-   A53 Non-return valve-   AF Energy unit of the utilization installation, installation    component for the emission-free generation of base load energy-   A61 Drive device-   A62 Steam turbine-   A63 Condenser, economizer-   A64 Generator device-   A65 External cooling cycle-   A66 Pump-   AG Discharging unit, installation component for discharging and    treating ash and residual materials-   A91 Silo, storage container-   AH Treatment unit, installation component for treating and supplying    carbonaceous material-   A92 slag depot-   B installation for transport and temporary storage of fuels and    oxidation gases between utilization installation and energy    installation-   BA Fuel storage unit-   BB Oxidation gas storage unit-   BC Ship, train, pipeline, transport means-   C Energy installation, installation component for the emission-free    generation of peak load energy by utilizing the carbonaceous fuels    from the utilization installation-   C11 Drive device-   C12 Condenser/economizer-   C13 Compressor-   C14 External cooling cycle-   C21 Combustion chamber-   C22 Cylinder-   C23 Piston-   C24 Venting device-   C25 Burner-   C26 Flame-   C27 Feed device for oxygen-   C28 Feed device for water-   C29 Feed device for fuel-   C30 Turbine-   C31 Generator device-   D Installation for the generation and supply of external chemical    energy, installation component for the production of hydrogen-   DA Wind power unit-   DB Solar energy unit-   DC Electrolysis unit-   DD hydrogen producing industry-   DE temporary storage unit-   DF temporary storage unit-   DG Ship, train, pipeline, transport means-   E1 electrical/mechanical energy (base load)-   E2 electrical/mechanical energy (peak load)-   E3 supplied electrical energy-   E4 thermal energy-   P1 First stage of process-   P2 Second stage of process-   P3 Third stage of process-   P6 Intake of the carbonaceous materials-   P7 Discharge of the residues-   M10 Untreated carbonaceous starting material-   M11, M12 Carbonaceous starting material-   M13 Additional combustibles-   M14 Additional fuel-   M17 sorted residual materials, recycling material-   M21 Pyrolysis coke-   M22 Pyrolysis gas-   M23 Low-volatility fractions of the pyrolysis gas-   M24, M24 a, M24 b Synthesis gas-   M25, M25 a, M25 b Recycle gas-   M26 Residual gas-   M27, M27 a, M27 b Oxidation gases-   M31 Oxygen, oxidizing agent-   M32 Hydrogen gas-   M33 Carbon dioxide-   M37 Catalyst-   M40 Water, process water, feed water-   M41 Condensate, condensed water-   M50 Process steam-   M51, M52, M53, Steam in the turbine cycle-   M60 Products of the synthesis stage-   M61 Products of the synthesis stage, fuel-   M90 Residues-   M91 Slag, ash, residues-   M92 Residual dust-   M93 Residues-   M94 Graphite, activated carbon, carbonaceous residues-   t Time-   P Power-   P_(a) Heat content-   P_(b) Thermal power of a conventional power station-   P_(c); P_(c1), P_(c2) Base load power-   P_(d) Effective thermal power of a facility according to the    invention-   P_(e), P_(e1), P_(e2) Total power-   P_(f). Base load power of the base load energy unit-   P_(g) Fuel production power of the utilization installation

1. A process for the emission-free generation of energy and/orhydrocarbons and other products by utilization of carbonaceousmaterials, in which in a first process stage the carbonaceous materialsare supplied and pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke and pyrolysis gas areformed; in a second process stage, the pyrolysis coke from the firstprocess stage is gasified, wherein synthesis gas is formed, and slag andother residues are removed; and in a third process stage, the synthesisgas from the second process stage is converted into hydrocarbons and/orother solid, liquid and/or gaseous products, which are discharged;wherein the three process stages form a closed cycle, surplus gas fromthe third process stage is passed as recycle gas into the first processstage and/or the second process stage, and the pyrolysis gas of thefirst process stage is passed into the second process stage and/or thethird process stage.
 2. The process according to claim 1, whereinhydrogen is supplied in at least one said process stage.
 3. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein carbon dioxide is supplied in at least onesaid process stage.
 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein thereis a pressure drop along the cycle.
 5. The process according to claim 1,wherein heat energy for the pyrolysis reactions in the first processstage is provided, at least in part by returning a part of hot synthesisgas from the second process stage into the first process stage, and/orby partial oxidation of the carbonaceous starting material and theresultant pyrolysis coke.
 6. The process according to claim 1, whereinthe first process stage is carried out at a temperature between 300 and800° C.
 7. The process according to claim 1, wherein for thegasification reaction in the second process stage oxygen and/or steamand/or carbon dioxide is used as a gasification agent.
 8. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein in the second process stage, the thermalenergy required for the gasification reaction is supplied, at least inpart from outside; and/or is generated by oxidizing a part of thepyrolysis coke with an oxidizing agent.
 9. The process according toclaim 1, wherein the second process stage is carried out at atemperature between 600 and 1600° C.
 10. The process according to claim1, wherein the first process stage and/or the second process stage iscarried out at a pressure between 1 and 60 bar.
 11. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein the first process stage and the secondprocess stage are carried out in a pressure reactor and wherein the samepressure reactor is used to carry out both the first and the secondprocess stages.
 12. The process according to claim 1, wherein theconversion in the third process stage is carried out using aFischer-Tropsch synthesis or a liquid-phase methanol synthesis.
 13. Theprocess according to claim 1, wherein electrical and/or mechanicalenergy is generated by oxidation of the hydrocarbons and other solid,liquid, and/or gaseous products of the third process stage, to aoxidation gas, said oxidation gas essentially consisting essentially ofcarbon dioxide and water.
 14. The process according to claim 13, whereinpure oxygen is used as an oxidizing agent.
 15. The process according toclaim 13, wherein water is condensed out and/or separated from theoxidation gas.
 16. The process according to claim 13, wherein at least apart of the oxidation gas is fed back into at least one of the firstprocess stage, the second process stage and the third process stage ofthe generation process.
 17. The process according to claim 1, whereinelectrical and/or mechanical energy is generated by cooling thesynthesis gas in a heat exchanger, wherein superheated steam and/oranother hot gas are formed, from which electrical and/or mechanicalenergy is generated using a heat engine.
 18. A facility for emissionfree generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and/or other products byutilizing carbonaceous materials, with a utilization installationcomprising a utilization unit with a first subunit for carrying out apyrolysis of the carbonaceous materials to form pyrolysis coke andpyrolysis gas; a second subunit for carrying out a gasification of thepyrolysis coke to form synthesis gas and residues; and a third subunitfor carrying out a conversion of the synthesis gas into hydrocarbonsand/or other solid, liquid and/or gaseous products; wherein all threesubunits of the utilization unit are pressure-tightly closed and form anessentially closed cycle; a transport pipe for the pyrolysis gasconnects the first subunit pressure-tightly to the second subunit and/orto the third subunit; a transport pipe for the synthesis gas connectsthe second subunit pressure-tightly to the third subunit and/or to thefirst subunit; and a transport pipe for the recycle gas connects thethird subunit pressure-tightly to the first subunit and/or to the secondsubunit.
 19. The facility according to claim 18, wherein at least onecompressor is arranged along at least one of said transport pipes of theutilization unit.
 20. The facility according to claim 18, wherein thesubunits of the utilization unit each comprise one or more pressurereactors.
 21. The facility according to claim 18, wherein the firstsubunit and the second subunit of the utilization unit comprise a sharedpressure reactor.
 22. The facility according to claim 18, wherein thethird subunit of the utilization unit comprises a Fischer-Tropschsynthesis stage, and/or a liquid-phase methanol synthesis stage.
 23. Thefacility according to claim 18, wherein the facility comprises an energyinstallation that is arranged for generating at least one of electricalenergy, mechanical energy and thermal energy by using hydrocarbonsand/or other products from the utilization installation as fuels. 24.The facility according to claim 23, wherein the energy installation isprovided with a drive device for generating electrical and/or mechanicalenergy from the fuels, wherein said drive device obtains the energynecessary for operation from the oxidation of the fuels to an oxidationgas consisting essentially of carbon dioxide and water, and comprises adevice for the compression and/or condensation of the oxidation gas. 25.The facility according to claim 24, wherein the drive device of theenergy installation is operable with pure oxygen as an oxidizing agent.26. The facility according to claim 24, wherein the drive device of theenergy installation comprises a heat exchanger for cooling down a streamof the oxidation gas, upstream and/or downstream of the device for thecompression and/or condensation of the oxidation gas.
 27. The facilityaccording to claim 24, wherein the drive device of the energyinstallation comprises a device for condensation and/or separation ofwater from the oxidation gas.
 28. The facility according to claim 24,wherein the drive device of the energy installation is provided with astorage for collecting the oxidation gas, or the residual gas aftercompression and/or condensation, respectively, of the oxidation gas. 29.The facility according to claim 24, wherein the drive device of theenergy installation is a combustion engine, with at least one combustionchamber for combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel with oxygen, with meansfor converting resulting gas pressure or gas volume into mechanicalwork, with a feed device for introducing oxygen into the combustionchamber, and with a venting device for removing the oxidation gas fromthe combustion chamber.
 30. The facility according to claim 29, whereinthe drive device of the energy installation is provided with a feeddevice for introducing water and/or steam into the combustion chamber,and/or into a stream of the oxidation gas after exit from the combustionchamber.
 31. The facility according to claim 18, wherein the utilizationinstallation comprises an energy unit for generating electrical and/ormechanical energy, with at least one drive device for generatingelectrical and/or mechanical energy from steam and/or other hot gasesthat have been generated or superheated in the utilization unit.
 32. Thefacility according to claim 31, wherein the energy unit of theutilization installation comprises a drive device for generatingelectrical and/or mechanical energy from steam or other hot gases thathave been generated or superheated in the utilization unit; and in thatin a cycle of the utilization unit at least one heat exchanger isprovided for heating steam and/or other gases, and/or for generatingsteam.
 33. The facility according to claim 18, wherein the facilitycomprises an installation for the production of hydrogen, and means forsupplying the hydrogen into the utilization unit.
 34. The processaccording to claim 2, wherein the hydrogen is supplied in the thirdprocess stage.
 35. The process according to claim 3, wherein the carbondioxide is supplied in the first process stage or the second processstage.
 36. The process according to claim 6, wherein the first processstage is carried out at a temperature between 450 and 700° C.
 37. Theprocess according to claim 6, wherein the first process stage is carriedout at a temperature between 500 and 600° C.
 38. The process accordingto claim 8, wherein the thermal energy required for the gasificationreaction in the second process stage is supplied by heating devicesand/or heat exchangers.
 39. The process according to claim 8, whereinthe thermal energy required for the gasification reaction is generatedby oxidizing a part of the pyrolysis coke using oxygen as the oxidizingagent.
 40. The process according to claim 9, wherein the second processstage is carried out at a temperature between 700 and 1400° C.
 41. Theprocess according to claim 9, wherein the second process stage iscarried out at a temperature between 850 and 1000° C.
 42. The processaccording to claim 10, wherein the pressure is between 5 bar and 25 bar.43. The process according to claim 10, wherein the pressure is between10 bar and 15 bar.
 44. The process according to claim 17, wherein theheat engine is a steam turbine.